# Is there any other way to get to Heaven?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-other-way-to-get-to-heaven/518678
**Category:** Great Debates
**Created:** [November 23, 2009, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-other-way-to-get-to-heaven/518678 "2009-11-23T19:40:11Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2009, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-other-way-to-get-to-heaven/518678/21 "2009-11-24T06:23:50Z")
The RCC doesn’t consider you need to have been told about Jesus and accepted Him as savior; basically, you have to not have rejected him (being a decent human being is a plus) and you can accept the Infinite Love and Mercy until the latestestest instant. Nowadays there’s theologians who say we can’t even consider Judas as being surely condemned, and he was the classical example.
They celebrate the feasts of Esther, Queen (March 23); Solomon, King (March 13); David, King; a whole slew of prophets…
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### Author:  [@Livardo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Livardo)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2009, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-other-way-to-get-to-heaven/518678/22 "2009-11-24T06:33:51Z")
> [@Nava](#):
>
> The RCC doesn’t consider you need to have been told about Jesus and accepted Him as savior; basically, you have to not have rejected him (being a decent human being is a plus) and you can accept the Infinite Love and Mercy until the latestestest instant. Nowadays there’s theologians who say we can’t even consider Judas as being surely condemned, and he was the classical example.
>
> They celebrate the feasts of Esther, Queen (March 23); Solomon, King (March 13); David, King; a whole slew of prophets…
That’d suck for some Muslim dude to end up in Christian heaven after devoting his whole life to Islam. _Hey, wait a minute!_
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### Author:  [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2009, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-other-way-to-get-to-heaven/518678/23 "2009-11-24T06:42:09Z")
Well, considering all those jokes about the different rooms in Heaven, I’m sure we can work up a few rooms for the Muslims.
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### Author:  [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2009, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-other-way-to-get-to-heaven/518678/24 "2009-11-24T06:58:20Z")
Moving thread from IMHO to Great Debates.
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### Author:  [@Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crowbar_of_Irony_3)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2009, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-other-way-to-get-to-heaven/518678/25 "2009-11-24T07:19:31Z")
The soundest thelogical answer I ever got is ‘don’t attempt to guess if someone is saved’.
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### Author:  [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2009, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-other-way-to-get-to-heaven/518678/26 "2009-11-24T07:27:05Z")
> [@RitterSport](#):
>
> If your cousin is right and someone can still get into heaven as long as he or she have never been exposed to the Word, then evangelists are putting people into serious danger by exposing them to the Word! I would be really pissed off if I was in my small village in Africa heading towards guaranteed salvation when, with no warning, some evangelist comes by and exposes his Word to me. Now, I have to either accept Jesus into my heart to be saved or risk going to hell! Before, I was definitely going to get in. Stupid evangelist!
A Pratchett fan?
> [@](#):
>
> The gods of the Disc have never bothered much about judging the souls of the dead, and so people only go to hell if that’s where they believe, in their deepest heart, that they deserve to go. Which they won’t do if they don’t know about it. This explains why it is so important to shoot missionaries on sight.
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### Author:  [@adhay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adhay)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2009, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-other-way-to-get-to-heaven/518678/27 "2009-11-24T13:04:39Z")
> [@fuzzypickles](#):
>
> Modern Christian dogma rarely reflects actual Scripture. Fundamentalist Christians will make up whatever rules best suit them, and then cherry-pick whichever Bible verses fit their delusional beliefs, even if they have to twist the words around a bit.
This.
Jesus is quoted roughly as saying, forgive and be forgiven, condemn and be condemned. To me, this is the whole of the Law and to know oneself forgiven is THE Christian goal.
> [@](#):
>
> Matthew 6:14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
>
> Matthew 6:15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Imo, this is allegorical. The idea that the Creator could ever condemn a part of Creation is simply silly. But while a person believes condemnation is justified in any situation, he will believe himself condemned, project that on “god” and need forgiveness. The so-called Golden Rule is actually a statement about human psychology … as you do unto others, you do to yourself.
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### Author:  [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2009, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-other-way-to-get-to-heaven/518678/28 "2009-11-24T13:55:17Z")
Like through the Kitchen where you can get past the hoi polloi and the Paparazzi?
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### Author:  [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2009, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-other-way-to-get-to-heaven/518678/29 "2009-11-24T13:56:31Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#):
>
> A Pratchett fan?
Hmmm. I _am_ a Pratchett fan, but I don’t think I got the idea from him. Seems pretty obvious from that loophole about babies and tribesman getting into heaven.
There was some book that stipulated that you go where other religions think you should go. So, if any religion thought that all people other than them would go to hell, you were doomed if you weren’t in that religion. Then, all it would take is another religion thinking _those_ adherents go, and there you have it – everyone is doomed to an eternity of suffering.
Actually, I love South Park’s take on it. There a scene where pretty much everyone is in hell and all the newly damned were clamoring for answers – “I was a devout Christian…Jew…Buddhist [whatever]…where did I go wrong? What was the answer?” And, there a guy with a clipboard who looks at it and says, “The correct answer was…the Mormons.” That’s about as biblically accurate as anything I’ve seen.
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### Author:  [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2009, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-other-way-to-get-to-heaven/518678/30 "2009-11-24T13:58:03Z")
> [@adhay](#):
>
> This.
>
> Jesus is quoted roughly as saying, forgive and be forgiven, condemn and be condemned. To me, this is the whole of the Law and to know oneself forgiven is THE Christian goal.
> Imo, this is allegorical. The idea that the Creator could ever condemn a part of Creation is simply silly. But while a person believes condemnation is justified in any situation, he will believe himself condemned, project that on “god” and need forgiveness. The so-called Golden Rule is actually a statement about human psychology … as you do unto others, you do to yourself.
I’d like a little from that tray, some of that. And, ooh, that dessert looks fabulous! I love this cafeteria!
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### Author:  [@adhay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adhay)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2009, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-other-way-to-get-to-heaven/518678/31 "2009-11-24T14:30:59Z")
> [@RitterSport](#):
>
> I’d like a little from that tray, some of that. And, ooh, that dessert looks fabulous! I love this cafeteria!
You help yourself.
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### Author:  [@adhay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adhay)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2009, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-other-way-to-get-to-heaven/518678/32 "2009-11-24T15:13:59Z")
> [@adhay](#):
>
> You help yourself.
But please take no more than you need. It’s just good manners.
I recommend the self-realization. It’s an acquired taste but seasoned with some humor, it goes down easy, a great low calorie energizer, anytime.
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### Author:  [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2009, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-other-way-to-get-to-heaven/518678/33 "2009-11-24T16:55:12Z")
> [@kanicbird](#):
>
> God created that tribesman and knew exactly where he would be at every moment before God created the world. God is Love, and desires all to be saved. IMHO there is no way that God will condemn that tribesman for not being told about the Lord.
>
> Now how that plays out, perhaps a form of reincarnation, perhaps a last minute visit by the Lord, perhaps Jesus will come to him directly. Also the Word states that if you seek God with all your heart you will find Him.
God is love like Dahmer is love. Eat meat on Friday, commit a sin according to his evolving list and you will be charbroiled for eternity. How is a cruel god ,love? This is such a distortion of love. I see a ruthless, cruel, and vengeful god.
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### Author:  [@Nilesta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nilesta)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2009, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-other-way-to-get-to-heaven/518678/34 "2009-11-24T17:03:50Z")
I read a book, once, called Only Begotten Daugter, when The devil says that the only way to get into heaven is to have no other group say you’re going to hell. So there are like three people in heaven, cause the bible said they did, everyone else went to hell.
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### Author:  [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2009, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-other-way-to-get-to-heaven/518678/35 "2009-11-24T19:53:05Z")
Can’t they just build a ladder?
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### Author:  [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2009, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-other-way-to-get-to-heaven/518678/36 "2009-11-24T20:38:31Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#):
>
> Can’t they just build a ladder?
Or a tower. Of course, you might want to hire some translators, just in case…
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### Author:  [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2009, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-other-way-to-get-to-heaven/518678/37 "2009-11-24T21:00:31Z")
Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, Select, Start.
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### Author:  [@Lord\_Mondegreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Mondegreen)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2009, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-other-way-to-get-to-heaven/518678/38 "2009-11-24T23:43:28Z")
> [@pbbth](#):
>
> I think you’re supposed to take the stairs.
> [@kaylasdad99](#):
>
> Can’t they just build a ladder?
> [@jayjay](#):
>
> Or a tower.
I seem to recall that the back passage is completely out of bounds as an entry method.
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### Author:  [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2009, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-other-way-to-get-to-heaven/518678/39 "2009-11-24T23:49:36Z")
Very generous of you, **Tom** , to use the multiplayer version of the code, when you could have been selfish, left out the “select”, and just saved yourself.
Personally, the way I see it: OK, so you have to accept Jesus as your Lord to get into Heaven. But what does it mean to accept Jesus as your Lord? Near as I can figure, it means you do what Jesus wants you to do. And what does Jesus want us to do? He wants us to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, shelter the homeless, and otherwise do whatsoever for the least of His people. Now, whether we do those things specifically because Jesus wants us to, or because Buddha or Brahma or whoever wants us to, or just because we think it’s the right thing to do, I don’t see that that matters: If you do what Jesus wants you to do, then you’re accepting Jesus as Lord, whether you know it or not.
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### Author:  [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)
#### Post date: [November 25, 2009, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-other-way-to-get-to-heaven/518678/40 "2009-11-25T00:15:01Z")
> [@Chronos](#):
>
> Very generous of you, **Tom** , to use the multiplayer version of the code, when you could have been selfish, left out the “select”, and just saved yourself.
> Personally, the way I see it: OK, so you have to accept Jesus as your Lord to get into Heaven. But what does it mean to accept Jesus as your Lord? Near as I can figure, it means you do what Jesus wants you to do. And what does Jesus want us to do? He wants us to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, shelter the homeless, and otherwise do whatsoever for the least of His people. Now, whether we do those things specifically because Jesus wants us to, or because Buddha or Brahma or whoever wants us to, or just because we think it’s the right thing to do, I don’t see that that matters: If you do what Jesus wants you to do, then you’re accepting Jesus as Lord, whether you know it or not.
Buddhism has a pretty open door policy on this sort of thing. In general, it is better to have a religion than not, don’t become a Buddhist if you already have a religion, and if you continue to follow your version of the moral precepts, eventually you’ll be born a human again, learn about Buddhism, and have a shot at enlightenment. In the meantime, follow the manual you were issued.
That said, in Buddhism heaven is a transitory state as well, so it’s no big deal to be there.
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